Thomas Rawls of the Seattle Seahawks runs after his catch as Coty Sensabaugh of the Los Angeles Rams defends during the first quarter of the home opening NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Coliseum on September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Thomas Rawls of the Seattle Seahawks runs after his catch as Coty Sensabaugh of the Los Angeles Rams defends during the first quarter of the home opening NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle

Running back Thomas Rawls of the Seattle Seahawks warms up prior to the game against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field on August 18, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Running back Thomas Rawls of the Seattle Seahawks warms up prior to the game against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field on August 18, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

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Quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks hands off to teammate Thomas Rawls during the second quarter of the home opening NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Coliseum on September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks hands off to teammate Thomas Rawls during the second quarter of the home opening NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Coliseum on September 18,

Mark Barron of the Los Angeles Rams tackles Thomas Rawls of the Seattle Seahawks in front of teammate Trumaine Johnson during the first quarter of the home opening NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Coliseum on September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Mark Barron of the Los Angeles Rams tackles Thomas Rawls of the Seattle Seahawks in front of teammate Trumaine Johnson during the first quarter of the home opening NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and the

Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls runs against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls runs against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Photo: Tony Avelar/AP

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Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Photo: Tony Avelar/AP

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Running back Thomas Rawls is on the field during day five of the Seahawks mini camp, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016 at Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

Running back Thomas Rawls is on the field during day five of the Seahawks mini camp, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016 at Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM

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Seattle Seahawks' Thomas Rawls returns a dollar bill that he autographed after playfully threatening to keep it after the team's NFL football training camp Saturday, July 30, 2016, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Seattle Seahawks' Thomas Rawls returns a dollar bill that he autographed after playfully threatening to keep it after the team's NFL football training camp Saturday, July 30, 2016, in Renton, Wash. (AP

Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls likely won't get back in the lineup for Seattle's Week 9 matchup with the Buffalo Bills next Monday night.

Last week Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said he hoped the second-year player could return for the first time since suffering a hairline fracture in his fibula in a Week 2 loss at Los Angeles. But in his weekly appearance on 710 ESPN Seattle, Carroll tempered expectations when asked if he believed Rawls could play against Buffalo in prime time.

"No, I don't," Carroll said a day after Seattle's 25-20 road loss to the New Orleans Saints. "I think he'll be running full-go during the course of this week, is what we're hoping."

According to Carroll, Rawls wasn't able to run as much as they would have hoped last week and still needs time to get back into football shape after last playing on Sept. 18.

"He hasn't had enough time to get in shape properly so that he can be ready to go, is my understanding," Carroll saod. "So we'll see how this week goes. I certainly don't want to rush this. We've got to get him back and right."

Rawls worked his way back from ankle surgery in the offseason after suffering a season-ending injury last December. The 5-foot-10, 217-pounder led Seattle in rushing in 2015 as an undrafted rookie with 855 yards on just 166 carries. His 5.6 yards-per-carry average led the NFL.

The Seahawks' run game has suffered in his absence. Through seven games, Seattle is averaging just 81.4 yards per game (good for 28th in the league) and a paltry 3.2 yards per carry (tied for 30th). Not all of that can be attributed to Rawls' absence -- offensive line play and quarterback Russell Wilson's compromised mobility certainly have something to do with the lack of production -- but last week Carroll said getting Rawls back would be a major boost to the ground game.

"There's no question that we've missed Thomas's factor," Carroll said during his press conference at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton last Monday. "There's the style of play and all that. ... We love the way he plays. There a lot of positives coming around the corner here, we just have to hold it together until we start to feel those."

Rookie running back C.J. Prosise was a bright spot offensively in Sunday's loss, with 103 total yards on just eight touches, including a team-high 80 receiving yards on four catches, 43 of which came on a second-quarter throw from wide receiver Tanner McEvoy on a double pass.

"C.J. Prosise did a nice job yesterday, looked good," Carroll said. "And that was the first time we really got to mix him in. So you can see that there's some potential there to help us in some big ways."

Carroll confirmed defensive end Michael Bennett was undergoing knee surgery on Monday, saying the recovery time for the 30-year-old Pro Bowler could be as little as two to three weeks.

Carroll also said there was a chance tight end Luke Willson could return versus the Bills after undergoing his own arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 19.